David Bednar Jul 28, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher David Bednar (51) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
By Reice Shipley on

Thursday’s matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays became secondary for most fans of the New York Yankees, as the team pulled off a blockbuster trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates for a reliever with a long resume of dominance over the past few years.

Barring a rough 2024 season, Pirates closer David Bednar has been one of the best relievers in all of baseball throughout much of his career, sporting a sub-3.00 ERA in four of the last five seasons, including 2025 where he has been lights out for the Pirates.

After being briefly taken out of the closer role in 2024 for the Pirates, Bednar returned to the role this season and has been great, with a 2.37 ERA on the year thus far in 2025.

For much of the 2025 season, the Yankees have had some serious issues in the bullpen, which in part stem from Devin Williams not being as great of an addition as initially expected for the Yankees.

With that in mind, the Yankees decided to make the move for David Bednar, agreeing to a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates just hours before the trade deadline on Thursday.

Predictably, Yankees fans had plenty to say about the news on social media, with many predicting that Bednar will do great things in New York.

At least on paper, Bednar should greatly help a Yankees bullpen that sorely needs help. So it will be interesting to see whether he does truly excel in the Bronx for the remainder of the season and in 2026, as he is under team control through the 2026 season.

About Reice Shipley

Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.

View all posts by Reice Shipley